Red Light District, Amsterdam

The red light district is very famous because of the red windows with prostitutes on the other side.

There are some warnings about this area :
1. Don't take pictures of the girls
2. Don't walk on small alleys alone during the night
3. beware of pickpockets
4. Don't buy drugs on the streets.

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I think I've mentioned it already on the "Things To Do" but am reiterating here again. I almost got hit by a bicycle, no, bicycles. I was crossing the street and I didn't know that the lane just along the side of the road is dedicated for bicycle -- can't blame - my first time in the city!

So be careful in crossing the road, look at your left and right and listen to the buzzing of bicycles, two things, either you get hit or if you'll endure some swearing (shouting with bad words or the famous f**k-off!).

Remember --- there are pedestrian lanes and there are bicycle lanes.

The Red Light District is a wonderful place to visit.Sure there are some shady folk, but use your common sense.You really do not get approached by dealers, because they are usually walking up & down saying things like coca, weed, X etc....Just ingore them.If you standing there looking the walk by trying to get eye contact or verbal contact again do not give them the time of day & they will leave you alone.

I go to Amsterdam every year(or I try to).Here are a few helpfull hints if you want to visit the RLD(Red Light District)

First off there are 3 RLD's in Amsterdam.The best & safest is the main one right passed the DAM.Like I stated in the begining pay no attention to the low end pushers or freaks, they want you to react so they can hustle you, so just keep moving & pay no mind.If you get bothered go into a bar, store, coffee shop, food shop just any place with people they won't follow you in.Why would you buy Weed form a street pusher when you can go to a coffee shop & buy it there in a place that is super safe.Again Common Sense.

On my first trip to Amsterdam I already had visions of the RLD as a run down, dirty seedy slummy place to visit.Boy was I worng.During the prime night time hours the place is hoppin.Peppered along with the ladies of the night are bars, coffee shops, hotels resturants, stores, apartments etc.....It's not what most people invision.

You should not really go to the RLD passed 1am unless you are with a group of people.Best time is dusk to 1am.Plenty of people either looking for some action or doing the tourist thing & taking the sites in. I strongly suggest any female not to walk down there alone after hours unless you really know how to handle yourself.Not saying you will be attacked, just you will become a target & to them a possible easy target at that.Common sense tells you even in the States in a big city usually the freaks are out after hours looking to prey.

Same goes for men, don't walk alone down any dark streets drunk or high wondering around.Best thing to do if you feel the need to visit after hours is stick to the main drag.All it is is common sense.

Try not to bring any items of value down there.I make sure my hand is on my wallet at all times when in a crowd.A good pick pocket will ripe you off if you a carless.Remember pick pockets are not just local to the RLD, it's just like any busy city, keep an eye on your stuff & you won't be a target.

The best thing to do is visit the RLD during the day to get to know the in's & out's of the streets down there.Than go back at night & enjoy.Trying to be as familar with your enviorment as you possibly can, doing a tour in tha day is super safe even by your self.

Last tip is a tour is offered (for a price) to take a visit all around the RLD.It is not only the safest way, but best way to become familar with the area.If I remember it's like 10 euro or something around that.

As for me I been down there at all times of the day, never been bothered by anyone.I mind my own business & do not give the freaks or pushers the time of day.I am boring to them so they leave me alone.As for the girls in the windows they usually are opening their doors asking me to come & have some fun.

The RLD is a fun place to visit.Like I said just use your common sense & you will be saying how great that area of Amsterdam really is.

I wanted to see the Red Light District. I didn't believe everybody who had been there when they said what it was really like. Um...it is. Be prepared for nudity in the windows and the many, many sex shops. Be careful taking pictures of the women in the window. That can cause a fight. I don't recommend going at night. We went during the day and we didn't stay long. Long enough for me to say I went.

Apart from the weird crowd that may make you feel a bit on the edge (the homeless people sleeping on the street corners and begging on the streets, the alcies, the narcs and the like), Amsterdam is a safe city. The homeless people are often harmless and will leave you alone, if you leave them alone as well.

The red-light district (around the Oude Kerk) can be a bit dodgy at night and some people will try to offer illegal drugs to you –especially if you are male and look people in the eyes. However, there are also always lots of tourists around, so there is no need to avoid going to the area entirely, but it's good to keep this sort of stuff in mind.

Don't try to photograph the women in the red-light district though. The angry pimps might come and get you for taking free photos – you pay for the services, right? ;-) Officially, pimping is illegal, but who knows what happens in practice..

I think a trip-one or two- are worth taking just to see the show. It is for free, but do not take pictures. Someone may come out of the booth/house and chase you down, and do not gawk. So then, what is the attraction? Tourists walk slowly up one side of the street and down the other and keep theri head down so as not to stare, or be noticed. Well, that is not my idea of fun. It is pretty sleezy and feels dingy on the streets, and would not venture into some of the establishments for a drink, or whatever. Wtch out for bumping and your wallet walking away.

People dont stress these guys enough. While walking down the street you will think your mind plays games with you by hearing whispers saying "Hash , Coke , eeees, heroin" , however ignoring these idiots is offensive to them but considdering the fact i vacation there a lot I will give you some sound advice . Do not say no but instead say Nay ..in dutch meaning no . This way they will assume your a local and straight away walk away. Another thing about these idiots is that if they offer you *** and you say no ...keep walking because they still look at you leaving ..WARNING " Do not look back" because straight away they will know you are a tourist and will get pleasure on making you paranoid . Dont let this information get you down because all in all Amsterdam is a lovely place with plenty of drugs to be smoked (",) !! I am Irish myself but when introducing people to this city I say " treat Amsterdam the way you want Amsterdam to treat you " have a good time and smoke it up ....................................... PEACE (>--)

Having read a few comments and noticed the dates on them, I thought I'd add an up-to-date one of my own having just returned from a trip to Amsterdam.

The city as a whole is a wonderfully laid-back and beautiful place where you can stroll along canals, take a cruise, sit outside a cafe and watch the world go by etc, and then there's the red light district.

Many of the comments have gone along the lines of 'avoid eye contact', 'walk on by quickly' and so on but in my experience over the last few days, this needn't be the case.

I was offered drugs on the street at least half a dozen times on one evening; on the first occasion a single man peeled off as a group passed me and he was offering the drugs. He stood a little close for comfort and spoke quietly and my first reaction was to check over my shoulder for his companions (surrounding me for intimidation? or setting me up for pickpocketing?) but the truth is they'd sauntered on, oblivious.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I politely declined the dealer's offer and he'd smiled, said OK and wished me a good night - but better still, this was the pattern I found each time someone tried selling me anything.

Maybe in times gone by there would have been more of a 'hard-sell' but nothing of the sort last week. Could be that the dealers realise, if they *** tourists off and give the place a bad name, the police will crack down on them like never before. As it happened, the offers were polite and my thanks but no thanks reply met with manners and a cheery 'enjoy your holiday' type of comment.

All of this aside, I'd still keep my wallet or purse close to your person if I were you - not in a jacket pocket or handbag, for instance. Plan for the worst, ie someone IS going to try and pick your pocket, think about it and make that as difficult as possible for any would-be thief. Keep your wits about you and I'm sure you'll have as good a time taking in the sights of this district as much as any of the others in this great city.